Fabric having a waterproof barrier

ABSTRACT

Provided herein are waterproof fabrics that include a base fabric having a body-facing surface and an outward-facing surface, and a hydrophobic, waterproof barrier disposed on the outward-facing surface of the base fabric, a seam through the waterproof fabric, and a waterproof tape disposed on an outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier and aligned to seal the seam against water ingress. The base fabric may be a wicking fabric or may be treated with a compound that enhances wicking, and the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier may include a plastic polymer, polyurethane, polyethylene, and/or polytetrafluoroethylene. The waterproof fabrics also may include an abrasion-resistant coating and/or a durable water repellant (DWR) agent disposed on an outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier, and one or both of the abrasion-resistant coating and/or DWR agent may be discontinuous. Also provided are methods of making a waterproof fabric.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/049,644, filed Sep. 12, 2014, entitled “Fabric Havinga Waterproof Barrier,” the entire disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments herein relate to apparel and sporting goods, and, morespecifically, to fabrics having a hydrophobic, waterproof barrier on anoutward-facing surface of a base fabric.

BACKGROUND

Apparel including waterproof fabrics typically includes a base fabricand a hydrophilic, waterproof membrane coupled to the base fabric. Thewaterproof membrane prevents water from passing from the outward-facingsurface of the base fabric to the body-facing surface of the basefabric, and this waterproof membrane typically is coupled to thebody-facing surface of the fabric. The waterproof membrane can beuncomfortable for the user if it is in direct contact with the skin, andwater (such as perspiration) can build up on the inside surface, makingthe fabric feel clammy and wet. This is generally addressed by adding alining material that is the innermost layer of the apparel.Additionally, the outward-facing surface of the base fabric may absorbwater, giving it a wetted-out appearance and increasing the weight ofthe base fabric. To address this concern, a durable water repellantcoating or compound may be applied to the outward-facing surface of thebase fabric to create a beading effect, but water may still eventuallysaturate the base fabric.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will be readily understood by the following detaileddescription in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and theappended claims. Embodiments are illustrated by way of example and notby way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate cross-sectional views of two examples ofwaterproof fabrics, one having a base fabric and a hydrophobic,waterproof barrier coupled to an outward-facing surface thereof (FIG.1A), and one having a base fabric, a hydrophobic, waterproof barriercoupled to an outward-facing surface thereof, and an abrasion resistantcoating or layer coupled to an outward-facing surface of thehydrophobic, waterproof barrier (FIG. 1 B), in accordance with variousembodiments;

FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate three cross-sectional views of waterproof fabricsshowing the mechanisms of action of the waterproof fabric illustrated inFIG. 1A (e.g., FIG. 2A) and two examples of conventional waterprooffabrics (FIGS. 2B and 2C), in accordance with various embodiments;

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate cross-sectional views of three examples of awaterproof fabric, including an embodiment having a base fabric and ahydrophobic, waterproof barrier coupled to an outward-facing surfacethereof, and a durable water repellant (DWR) coating on theoutward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier (FIG. 3A),an embodiment having a base fabric and a hydrophobic, waterproof barriercoupled to an outward-facing surface thereof, an abrasion-resistantcoating or layer coupled to the outward-facing surface of thehydrophobic, waterproof barrier, and a DWR agent coupled to theabrasion-resistant coating or layer (FIG. 3B), and an embodiment havinga base fabric and a hydrophobic, waterproof barrier coupled to anoutward-facing surface thereof, a DWR agent on the outward-facingsurface of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier, and anabrasion-resistant coating or layer coupled to the DWR agent (FIG. 3C),in accordance with various embodiments;

FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate three cross sectional views of waterproof fabricsshowing the mechanisms of action of the waterproof fabric illustrated inFIG. 3A (e.g., FIG. 4A) and two examples of conventional waterprooffabrics (FIGS. 4B and 4C), in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an example of a waterprooffabric having a base fabric and a first hydrophobic, waterproof barriercoupled to an outward-facing surface thereof, and a second hydrophobic,waterproof barrier coupled to a body-facing surface of the base fabric,in accordance with various embodiments;

FIGS. 6A-6C illustrate three cross sectional views of waterproof fabricsshowing the mechanisms of action of the waterproof fabric illustrated inFIG. 5 (e.g., FIG. 6A) and two examples of conventional waterprooffabrics (FIGS. 6B and 6C), in accordance with various embodiments;

FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate three examples of waterproof soft shell or fleecefabrics having a waterproofed seam, including an embodiment having abase fabric, a fleece or soft shell fabric, and a DWR agent, wherein theseam is sealed with waterproof tape applied to the outward-facingsurface of the base fabric (FIG. 7A), an embodiment having a base fabricwith a waterproof barrier coupled to a body-facing surface, wherein theseam is waterproofed by skiving the fleece or soft shell layer andapplying a waterproof tape to the body-facing surface of the waterproofbarrier (FIG. 7B), and an embodiment wherein a waterproof barrier iscoupled directly to an outward-facing surface of the fleece or softshell layer and the seam is sealed by bonding waterproof tape to theoutward-facing surface of the waterproof membrane (FIG. 7C), inaccordance with various embodiments;

FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate two examples of waterproof insulatedmaterials, including an embodiment having an insulating layer bounded byan outer base fabric and an inner lining fabric, a waterproof barrierbonded to a body facing surface of the outer base fabric, a DWR coatingor layer, and a seam that is waterproofed with a waterproof tape bondedto the outward-facing surface of the outer base fabric (FIG. 8A), and anembodiment having an insulating layer bounded by an outer base fabricand an inner lining fabric, a waterproof barrier bonded to anoutward-facing surface of the outer base fabric, and a seam that iswaterproofed with a waterproof tape bonded to the outward-facing surfaceof the waterproof barrier (FIG. 8B), in accordance with variousembodiments;

FIGS. 9A-9C are graphs illustrating the water vapor transmission rate ofvarious commercially available waterproof fabrics as compared to anembodiment of the waterproof fabrics disclosed herein (FIG. 9A), thepercentage to which the waterproof fabric of FIG. 9A transmits watervapor compared to commercially available fabrics (FIG. 9B), and the datashown in FIGS. 9A and 9B presented in combined form (FIG. 9C), inaccordance with various embodiments; and

FIG. 10 illustrates the results of testing one embodiment of awaterproof fabric as described herein, in accordance with variousembodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which are shownby way of illustration embodiments that may be practiced. It is to beunderstood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural orlogical changes may be made without departing from the scope. Therefore,the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limitingsense, and the scope of embodiments is defined by the appended claimsand their equivalents.

Various operations may be described as multiple discrete operations inturn, in a manner that may be helpful in understanding embodiments;however, the order of description should not be construed to imply thatthese operations are order dependent.

The description may use perspective-based descriptions such as up/down,back/front, and top/bottom. Such descriptions are merely used tofacilitate the discussion and are not intended to restrict theapplication of disclosed embodiments.

The terms “coupled” and “connected,” along with their derivatives, maybe used. It should be understood that these terms are not intended assynonyms for each other. Rather, in particular embodiments, “connected”may be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physicalcontact with each other. “Coupled” may mean that two or more elementsare in direct physical contact. However, “coupled” may also mean thattwo or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yetstill cooperate or interact with each other.

For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form “NB” or in theform “A and/or B” means (A), (B), or (A and B). For the purposes of thedescription, a phrase in the form “at least one of A, B, and C” means(A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B and C). For thepurposes of the description, a phrase in the form “(A)B” means (B) or(AB) that is, A is an optional element.

The description may use the terms “embodiment” or “embodiments,” whichmay each refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments.Furthermore, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and thelike, as used with respect to embodiments, are synonymous, and aregenerally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should beinterpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” shouldbe interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should beinterpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.).

With respect to the use of any plural and/or singular terms herein,those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to thesingular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to thecontext and/or application. The various singular/plural permutations maybe expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.

Various embodiments provide waterproof fabrics that may preventwetting-out or saturation of the outward-facing surface of the fabric,and that may also allow the wicking of moisture (e.g., perspiration andwater vapor) from the body of a user in certain embodiments. Existingwaterproof fabrics typically include a base fabric and a waterproofmembrane, such as a hydrophilic, waterproof membrane, coupled to thebase fabric. The hydrophilic, waterproof membrane prevents water frompassing from the outward-facing surface of the base fabric to thebody-facing surface of the base fabric, and this waterproof membranetypically is coupled to the body-facing surface of the fabric. In mostexamples, a hydrophilic membrane is selected so that it will absorbsweat, since the membrane faces the skin. Positioning the waterproofmembrane on the body-facing surface of the base fabric prevents thewaterproof membrane from being damaged (e.g., scuffed or abraded) duringuse, but it also creates problems.

For example, the waterproof membrane can be uncomfortable for the userif it is in direct contact with the skin, and water (such asperspiration) may build up on the body-facing surface of the membrane,giving the fabric an uncomfortable clammy feeling. A separate fabricliner positioned between the waterproof membrane and the user's body issometimes used in conjunction with the waterproof fabric for thisreason.

Additionally, because the outward-facing surface of the base fabrictypically is exposed to the elements, it may absorb water (e.g., fromrain and other precipitation), giving it a wetted-out appearance andincreasing the weight of the base fabric. A durable water repellant(DWR), such as a C8 fluorocarbon, may be applied to the outward-facingsurface of the base fabric to create a beading effect, but water maystill eventually saturate the base fabric, as a DWR typically wears offgradually with use. This may create the impression that the waterprooffabric has failed, particularly when the saturation of theoutward-facing surface is accompanied by moisture build-up on thebody-facing surface. In various embodiments described herein, a basefabric may include a hydrophobic, waterproof barrier that is coupled tothe outward-facing surface of the base fabric, rather than a body-facingsurface. In embodiments, the waterproof barrier or membrane isbreathable, preventing passage of water molecules by permitting air andmoisture vapor to pass through the barrier/membrane. In someembodiments, the base fabric may have one or more functional properties,such as wicking or breathability, and/or may be treated with a wickingcompound or other functional compound to enhance one or more functionalproperties of the base fabric.

For example, in some embodiments, the base fabric may be a wickingfabric. As used herein, the term “wicking fabric” refers to a fabrichaving a surface that becomes wet (e.g., and spreads the water acrossthe fabric) when the contact angle of the water is less than 90 degrees.In some embodiments, the body-facing surface of the base fabric may becoated, dipped, or printed with a wicking compound, which compound mayserve to enhance wicking and moisture dispersal throughout all or aportion of the base fabric. Specific, non-limiting examples of wickingcompounds of use include copolymers of polyethylene glycol andpolyethylene terephthalate, and dilute solutions of hydrophilicpolyurethane.

In some embodiments, the wicking compound may be deposited in acontinuous coverage pattern, whereas in other embodiments, the wickingcompound may be applied in a continuous or non-continuous pattern. Inparticular embodiments, the base fabric may have other functionalproperties, such as heat direction, cooling, or insulation, and/or otherfunctional compounds and/or elements may be applied to the body-facingsurface of the base fabric, such as the heat-management materialsdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,453,270, the holographic heat managementmaterials disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,510,871, and/or the coolingelements of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0133353, all ofwhich are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

In various embodiments, the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier that iscoupled to the outward-facing surface of the base fabric may benon-porous or microporous, and may include a plastic polymer,polyurethane, polyethylene, polyester, and/or polytetrafluoroethylene.In various embodiments, the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier may becoated on the outward-facing surface of the base fabric, which may beadvantageous because using a coating rather than a laminating processmay avoid the need for an additional adhesive layer, and it may ensure astrong bond between the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier and the basefabric, even when the base fabric has a textured surface. In otherembodiments, the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier may be laminated, orprinted on the outward-facing surface of the base fabric. In variousembodiments, the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier may preventenvironmental water or moisture (e.g., precipitation or the like) fromreaching the outward-facing surface of the base fabric.

In some embodiments, an additional abrasion-resistant coating or layer,for example a polyurethane or polycarbonate layer, may be coated orover-printed on the outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic,waterproof barrier, for example to increase abrasion resistance of thewaterproof barrier. In some embodiments, the abrasion-resistant coatingor layer is a high molecular weight polyurethane or polycarbonate layer.As used herein, the term “high molecular weight polyurethane orpolycarbonate layer” refers to a coating material having a high Young'smodulus and a high solids composition, such as greater than 25%, forexample 35-35%. In specific embodiments, the high molecular weightpolyurethane or polycarbonate layer may be anultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), which term as usedherein refers to a subset of the thermoplastic polyethylene, also knownas high-modulus polyethylene (HMPE), or high-performance polyethylene(HPPE), that has extremely long chains, with a molecular mass usuallybetween 2 and 6 million. In various embodiments, the longer chain mayserve to transfer load more effectively to the polymer backbone bystrengthening intermolecular interactions, resulting in a very toughmaterial, with the highest impact strength of any thermoplasticpresently made.

In other embodiments, the abrasion resistant layer may be a lowmolecular weight polyurethane or polycarbonate layer. For example, thepolyurethane or polycarbonate layer may provide a durable surface thathas a high hydrophobicity and that allows for moisture vapor transfer.In some embodiments, the abrasion-resistant coating or layer may be adiscontinuous layer. For example, in some embodiments, theabrasion-resistant coating or layer may be applied in a discontinuouspattern, such as a lattice, stripes, or a repeating or random pattern ofdots, squares, stars, circles, triangles, letters, words, logos, orother shapes. In some embodiments, the abrasion-resistant coating orlayer may be used in a discontinuous pattern in order to maximizebreathability of the base fabric, and in various embodiments, theabrasion-resistant coating or layer may cover about 15-50% of thesurface area of the waterproof fabric. In particular embodiments, theabrasion-resistant coating or layer may contain a pigment and/or producea color change when the fabric is exposed to moisture, and/or theabrasion-resistant coating or layer may enhance the texture of theoutward-facing surface of the waterproof fabric.

Thus, in various embodiments, positioning the waterproof barrier on theoutward-facing surface of the base fabric may allow the wicking basefabric to face the skin of the user, where it can wick perspiration fromthe skin. Additionally, positioning the waterproof barrier on theoutside surface of the base fabric also may prevent the base fabric fromabsorbing precipitation or other moisture from the environment. Invarious embodiments, this combination of features may create a wicking,waterproof fabric that is both comfortable for the user and effective inmaintaining waterproofness and preventing the base fabric from“wetting-out.” In various embodiments, positioning the waterproofbarrier on an outward-facing surface of the base fabric also enables thecreation of waterproof, breathable, insulated materials, such aswaterproof, breathable fleece fabrics, and waterproof, breathabledown-insulated fabrics, which were nor possible prior to the presentdisclosure.

In some embodiments, the waterproof barrier and/or theabrasion-resistant coating or layer may be visible to a user, forexample, and in some embodiments, the waterproof barrier and/or theabrasion-resistant coating or layer may produce a visible or texturedpattern. In particular embodiments, the waterproof barrier and/or theabrasion-resistant coating or layer may contain one or more pigments orcolorants, or may produce a color change when the fabric is exposed tomoisture. In other embodiments, the waterproof barrier and/or theabrasion-resistant coating or layer may enhance the texture of theoutward-facing surface of the waterproof fabric. In some embodiments,the waterproof barrier and/or the abrasion-resistant coating or layermay be disposed on a portion of a zipper coupled to the base fabric, andmay enhance the performance and/or waterproofing of the zipper.

In some embodiments, the waterproof fabric may form a part of anarticle, such as an article of clothing or body gear, sporting gear,gloves, headwear, or footwear, and thus may contain one or more seamsbetween two or more pieces of the disclosed waterproof fabrics. Invarious embodiments, positioning the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier onthe outward-facing surface of the waterproof fabric may allow any seamsin the fabric to be sealed (e.g., with waterproof tape coupled to /bonded to the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier) on the outward-facingsurface of the waterproof fabric, rather than on the body-facing surfaceof the waterproof fabric. Sealing any seams in the waterproof fabric onthe outside surface confers several advantages, compared to traditional,body-facing surface seam sealing. For example, when the base fabric ispositioned on the outward-facing surface, water may infiltrate andeventually saturate the fabric (e.g., via “wetting out”), which maycause the fabric to swell or otherwise weaken the bond between thefabric and the waterproof barrier and/or waterproof tape from inside ofthe fabric. As the base fabric loads with water, the water may travel tothe stitching located under the tape, for example, which may lead todeterioration of the waterproofness of the seam. Peeling of the seamtape may result in some embodiments and/or water ingress along theseam/stitching may result.

Additionally, conventional waterproof fabrics have exposed stitching,which may invite water ingress through the needle holes and allowabsorption of water into the thread. By contrast, when the waterproofbarrier is positioned on the outward-facing surface of the waterprooffabric, the waterproof tape or other seam sealant provides a barrier towater infiltration that may not be weakened by saturation of the basefabric. Furthermore, such exterior sealing prevents water ingress intothe stitching and protects the stitching from abrasion (which could leadto a broken stitch in conventional waterproof fabric constructions).

In various embodiments, the bond between the waterproof tape and thehydrophobic, waterproof barrier may be formed directly, whereas in otherembodiments, the waterproof tape may be applied over theabrasion-resistant coating or layer. In some embodiments, because theabrasion-resistant coating or layer may be discontinuous, applying thewaterproof tape over the abrasion-resistant coating or layer may allowthe waterproof tape to bond directly to the hydrophobic, waterproofbarrier in the areas of discontinuity in the abrasion-resistant coating.In various embodiments, the waterproof tape may form a secure,waterproof bond with both the abrasion-resistant coating or layer andthe hydrophobic, waterproof barrier.

In some embodiments, the waterproof fabric may further include a durablewater repellant (DWR) agent applied to the outward-facing surface of thewaterproof barrier and/or the outward-facing surface of theabrasion-resistant coating or layer (e.g., away from the user's skin.)In various embodiments, the DWR may be fluorocarbon-based,paraffin-based, or silicon-based. In some embodiments, silicon-based andparaffin-based DWRs may have advantages over conventionalfluorocarbon-based DWRs (such as perfluorocarbons, also known as PFCs),since some fluorocarbons may cause concern over possible environmentaland/or health effects. Silicon-based and paraffin-based DWRs arePFC-free, and therefore do not have these potential adverse effects onthe environment and/or health. In some embodiments, the DWR agent may beapplied to (e.g., printed on, laminated to, and/or coated on) thewaterproof barrier and/or the abrasion-resistant coating or layer tofurther enhance beading on the surface of the waterproof fabric. In someembodiments, rather than being applied to the outward-facing surface ofthe waterproof barrier and/or the abrasion-resistant coating or layer,the DWR may be dispersed in the waterproof barrier, for example as afluorocarbon or silicone dispersed in a polyurethane membrane. In someembodiments, the DWR agent may be applied to the hydrophobic, waterproofbarrier, and the abrasion-resistant coating or layer may be applied overthe DWR agent.

In addition to enhancing moisture beading, the additional DWR agent mayalso help protect the waterproof barrier from damage during use (e.g.,increase the abrasion resistance). In some embodiments, the agent may bevisible to a user, and in some embodiments, the DWR agent may be appliedas a continuous coating or as continuous or discontinuous pattern. Inparticular embodiments, the DWR agent may contain a pigment and/orproduce a color change when the fabric is exposed to moisture, and/orthe DWR agent may enhance the texture of the outward-facing surface ofthe waterproof fabric.

While DWR is described above, in embodiments, a DWR agent may beeliminated. Many DWR agents have environmental concerns, and theadditional treatment requires processing time and expense. In variousembodiments, eliminating a DWR agent from the apparel may be enabled bythe high hydrophobicity of the waterproof barrier, wherein the apparelstill retains its waterproofness even without the DWR agent.

In still other embodiments, the waterproof fabric may include a firsthydrophobic, waterproof barrier on the outward-facing surface of thebase fabric and a second hydrophobic, waterproof barrier on thebody-facing surface of the base fabric. Although this embodiment doesnot have the advantage of positioning the wicking base fabric againstthe user's skin, it provides distinctions in manufacturing, wherein aseam may be sealed on an inside surface as is done with existingouterwear fabrics. Additionally, this embodiment allows a very thinand/or lightweight base fabric to be used, as it is sandwiched betweentwo hydrophobic, waterproof barriers.

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate cross-sectional views of two examples ofwaterproof fabrics, one having a base fabric and a hydrophobic,waterproof barrier coupled to an outward-facing surface thereof (FIG.1A), and one having a base fabric, a hydrophobic, waterproof barriercoupled to an outward-facing surface thereof, and an abrasion resistantcoating or layer coupled to an outward-facing surface of thehydrophobic, waterproof barrier (FIG. 1B), in accordance with variousembodiments. As shown in FIG. 1A, the waterproof fabric 100 a includes abase fabric 102 a that has an outward-facing surface 104 a and abody-facing surface 106 a. In various embodiments, the base fabric 102 amay have wicking properties, or may be treated (e.g., coated, dipped, orprinted) with a wicking compound. In various embodiments, positioningthe base fabric 102 a so that one surface faces the body may allow thebase fabric to wick perspiration and/or other moisture away from thebody, creating a dry sensation. In some embodiments, the base fabric 102a may have other functional properties, such as heat direction (e.g.,heat conduction or reflectivity), cooling, or insulation. In someembodiments, the base fabric may be treated or coated with a wickingcompound to enhance wicking.

In various embodiments, a waterproof barrier 108 a may be coupled (e.g.,coated, laminated, printed, etc.) on the outward-facing surface 104 a ofthe base fabric 102 a, creating a barrier to moisture penetration intothe base fabric 102a. Positioning the waterproof barrier 108 a on theoutward-facing surface 104 a prevents the base fabric 102 a from“wetting-out,” which could give a user the impression that thewaterproofing ability of the fabric 100 a has failed.

As shown in FIG. 1B, in another embodiment, the waterproof fabric 100 bincludes a base fabric 102 b having an outward-facing surface 104 b anda body-facing surface 106 b, a waterproof barrier 108 b coupled to theoutward-facing surface 104 b of the base fabric 102 b, creating abarrier to moisture penetration into the base fabric 102 b, and anabrasion-resistant coating or layer 110 b coupled to the outward-facingsurface of the waterproof barrier 108 b. Although the abrasion-resistantcoating or layer 110 b is depicted as a continuous coating or layer, insome embodiments it may be applied in a discontinuous coating or layer,such that it covers about 15-50% of the surface area of the waterproofbarrier. In various embodiments, the abrasion-resistant coating or layer110 b may be applied in a random or repeating pattern, and may bevisually apparent to a user as a lattice or series of stripes, or arepeating pattern of dots, boxes, triangles, stars, letters, words,logos, or the like. In some embodiments, the abrasion-resistant coatingor layer may be pigmented, or may produce a color change with in contactwith water.

FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate three cross-sectional views of waterproof fabricsshowing the mechanisms of action of the waterproof fabric illustrated inFIG. 1A (e.g., FIG. 2A) and two examples of conventional waterprooffabrics (FIGS. 2B and 2C), in accordance with various embodiments. InFIG. 2A, the waterproof barrier 208 a prevents the waterproof fabric 200a from “wetting-out,” while the base fabric 202 a wicks perspirationfrom the skin of a user and allows it to spread throughout the fabric,thereby facilitating evaporation and minimizing the sensation ofwetness.

By contrast, the conventional waterproof fabric 200 b shown in FIG. 2Bpositions the waterproof barrier 208 b on the body-facing surface of thebase fabric 202 b, thus preventing the base fabric 202 b from absorbingperspiration, and trapping the perspiration on the interior surface ofthe waterproof fabric 200 b. Additionally, because the outward-facingsurface of the base fabric 202 b has no waterproof barrier, water maysaturate the base fabric 202 b, giving it a “wetted-out” appearance andthe perception of non-waterproofness.

Likewise, the conventional waterproof fabric 200 c shown in FIG. 2Cpositions the waterproof barrier 208 c on the body-facing surface of thebase fabric 202 c, thus preventing the base fabric 202 c from absorbingperspiration, and trapping the perspiration on the interior surface ofthe waterproof fabric 200 c. Additionally, although the waterprooffabric 200 c includes a DWR agent 210 c on the outward-facing surface ofthe base fabric 202 c, water eventually may penetrate the DWR agent andsaturate the base fabric 202 c, giving it a “wetted-out” appearance andthe perception of non-waterproofness.

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate cross-sectional views of three examples of awaterproof fabric, including an embodiment having a base fabric and ahydrophobic, waterproof barrier coupled to an outward-facing surfacethereof, and a durable water repellant coating on the outward-facingsurface of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier (FIG. 3A), an embodimenthaving a base fabric and a hydrophobic, waterproof barrier coupled to anoutward-facing surface thereof, an abrasion-resistant coating or layercoupled to the outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproofbarrier, and durable water repellant coating coupled to theabrasion-resistant coating or layer (FIG. 3B), and an embodiment havinga base fabric and a hydrophobic, waterproof barrier coupled to anoutward-facing surface thereof, a durable water repellant coating on theoutward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier, and anabrasion-resistant coating or layer coupled to the durable waterrepellant coating (FIG. 3C), in accordance with various embodiments.

Like the waterproof fabric 100 a illustrated in FIG. 1A, the waterprooffabric 300 a illustrated in FIG. 3A includes a base fabric 302 a thathas an outward-facing surface 304 a and a body-facing surface 306 a. Invarious embodiments, the base fabric 302 a may have wicking properties,or may be treated (e.g., coated, dipped, or printed) with a wickingcompound. In various embodiments, a hydrophobic, waterproof barrier 308a may be coupled (e.g., coated, laminated, printed, etc.) on theoutward-facing surface 304 a of the base fabric 302 a, creating abarrier to moisture penetration into the outward-facing surface 304 a ofthe base fabric 302 a. As described above, positioning the waterproofbarrier 308 a on the outward-facing surface 304 a prevents the basefabric 302 a from “wetting-out,” which could give a user the impressionthat the waterproofing ability of the fabric 300 a has failed.Additionally, a DWR agent 312 a (e.g., which may be applied in adiscontinuous pattern, in some embodiments), may be applied to (e.g.,deposited on, printed on, laminated to, and/or coated on) theoutward-facing surface of the waterproof barrier 308 a, therebyenhancing water beading and/or abrasion resistance on the outer surfaceof the waterproof fabric 300 a.

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3B, the waterproof fabric 300 bincludes a base fabric 302 b that has an outward-facing surface 304 band a body-facing surface 306 b, a hydrophobic, waterproof barrier 308 bcoupled to the outward-facing surface 304 b of the base fabric 302 b,and an abrasion-resistant coating or layer 310 b coupled to thehydrophibic, waterproof barrier 308 b. Additionally, a DWR agent 312 bis applied to the outward-facing surface of the abrasion-resistantcoating or layer 310 b, thereby enhancing water beading on the outersurface of the waterproof fabric 300 b.

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3C, the waterproof fabric 300 cincludes a base fabric 302 c that has an outward-facing surface 304 cand a body-facing surface 306 c, a hydrophobic, waterproof barrier 308 ccoupled to the outward-facing surface 304 c of the base fabric 302 c,and a DWR agent 312 c coupled to the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier 308c. Additionally, an abrasion-resistant coating or layer 310 c is appliedto the outward-facing surface of the DWR agent 312 c, thereby enhancingabrasion resistance on the outer surface of the waterproof fabric 300 b.

FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate three cross sectional views of waterproof fabricsshowing the mechanisms of action of the waterproof fabric illustrated inFIG. 3A (e.g., FIG. 4A) and two examples of conventional waterprooffabrics (FIGS. 4B and 4C), in accordance with various embodiments. Asshown in FIG. 4A, the waterproof barrier 408 a and the DWR agent 410 amay work together to prevent the waterproof fabric 400 a from“wetting-out,” while the base fabric 402 a wicks perspiration from theskin of a user.

By contrast, the conventional waterproof fabric 400 b shown in FIG. 4Bpositions the waterproof barrier 408 b on the body-facing surface of thebase fabric 402 b, thus preventing the base fabric 402 b from absorbingperspiration, and trapping the perspiration on the interior surface ofthe waterproof fabric 400 b. Additionally, because the outward-facingsurface of the base fabric 402 b has no waterproof barrier, water maysaturate the base fabric 402 b, giving it a “wetted-out” appearance andthe perception of non-waterproofness.

Likewise, the conventional waterproof fabric 400 c shown in FIG. 4Cpositions the waterproof barrier 408 c on the body-facing surface of thebase fabric 402 c. Although the waterproof fabric 400 c includes a DWRagent 410 c on the outward-facing surface of the base fabric 402 c,water eventually may penetrate the DWR agent (or the DWR agent may wearoff), and water may saturate the base fabric 402 c, giving it a“wetted-out” appearance and the perception of non-waterproofness.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of another example of awaterproof fabric, in accordance with various embodiments. In thisembodiment, in addition to the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier 508 a onthe outward-facing surface 504 of the base fabric 502, waterproof fabric500 also includes a second hydrophobic, waterproof barrier 508 b on thebody-facing surface 506 of the base fabric 502. Although this embodimentdoes not have the advantage of positioning the wicking base fabric 502against the user's skin, it provides advantages in manufacturing,wherein a seam may be sealed on an inside surface as is done withexisting outerwear fabrics. Additionally, a very thin and/or lightweightbase fabric 502 may be used, as it is sandwiched between twohydrophobic, waterproof barriers 508 a, 508 b.

FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate three cross sectional views of waterproof fabricsshowing the mechanisms of action of the waterproof fabric illustrated inFIG. 5 (FIG. 6A) and two examples of conventional waterproof fabrics(FIGS. 6B and 6C), in accordance with various embodiments. As shown inFIG. 6A, the first waterproof barrier 608 a prevents the waterprooffabric 600 a from “wetting-out,” The second waterproof barrier 608 b ispositioned on the body-facing surface of the base fabric 602 a, andallows an article made from the waterproof fabric 600 a to useconventional seam-sealing technologies.

By contrast, the conventional waterproof fabric 600 b shown in FIG. 6Bpositions the waterproof barrier 608 c on the body-facing surface of thebase fabric 602 b. Thus, because the outward-facing surface of the basefabric 602 b has no waterproof barrier, water may saturate the basefabric 602 b, giving it a “wetted-out” appearance and the perception ofnon-waterproofness.

Likewise, the conventional waterproof fabric 600 c shown in FIG. 6Cpositions the waterproof barrier 608 d on the body-facing surface of thebase fabric 602 c. Although the waterproof fabric 600 c includes a DWRagent 612 c on the outward-facing surface of the base fabric 602 c,water eventually may penetrate the DWR agent and saturate the basefabric 602 c, giving it a “wetted-out” appearance and the perception ofnon-waterproofness.

In various embodiments, an advantage of the various waterproof fabricsdisclosed herein is that a seam in the fabric layers, such as may existbetween a sleeve and a body of a garment, may be waterproofed by bondinga waterproof tape directly to the outward-facing surface of thehydrophobic, waterproof barrier. FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate three examplesof waterproof soft shell or fleece fabrics having a waterproofed seam,including an embodiment having a base fabric, a fleece or soft shellfabric, and a DWR agent, wherein the seam is sealed with waterproof tapeapplied to the outward-facing surface of the base fabric (FIG. 7A), anembodiment having a base fabric with a waterproof barrier coupled to abody-facing surface, and wherein the seam is waterproofed by skiving thefleece or soft shell layer and applying a waterproof tape to thebody-facing surface of the waterproof barrier (FIG. 7B), and anembodiment wherein a waterproof barrier is coupled directly to anoutward-facing surface of the fleece or soft shell layer and the seam issealed by bonding waterproof tape to the outward-facing surface of thewaterproof membrane (FIG. 7C), in accordance with various embodiments.In the example illustrated in FIG. 7A, a base material 702 a is bondedto a fleece or soft shell fabric 718 a, and a DWR agent 712 is appliedto an outward-facing surface of the base fabric 702 a. A seam 714 a,which might be positioned at any of a number of positions in an articleof clothing, body gear, footwear, or sporting goods runs through thefull thickness of the material 700 a, and is sealed on theoutward-facing surface of the base material 702 a with waterproof tape716 a bonded to the base fabric 702 a.

In the illustrated example, water (indicated by arrows) may eventuallyinfiltrate the base fabric 702 a through the DWR agent 712, and maycause the bond between the waterproof tape 716 a and the base fabric 702a to deteriorate. In some embodiments, this may eventually lead to wateringress at the seam 714 a and/or peeling of the waterproof tape 716 aand failure of the waterproofing of the seam 714 a.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 7B, a body-facing surface of a basematerial 702 b is bonded to a waterproof barrier 708 b, which in turn isbonded to a fleece or soft shell fabric 718 b. A seam 714 b runs throughthe full thickness of the material 700 b, and is sealed on thebody-facing surface of the waterproof barrier 708 b with waterproof tape716 b. In order to access the body-facing surface of the waterproofbarrier 708 b, the fleece or soft shell fabric 718 b is skived (e.g.,cut away) to reveal the waterproof barrier 708 b before the waterprooftape 716 b is applied. This requires an extra step in the manufacturingprocess, and also leaves areas of the article of clothing, body gear,footwear, or sporting equipment lacking the insulation of the fleece orsoft shell fabric 718 b. Additionally, the waterproof material 700 bsuffers from the same shortcomings of the fabrics illustrated in FIGS.2B and 4B, namely wetting out of the base fabric 702 b.

By contrast, the waterproof, insulated material illustrated in FIG. 7Cavoids these problems. In the example illustrated in FIG. 7C, awaterproof barrier 708 c, is bonded to a fleece or soft shell fabric 718c. A seam 714 c runs through the full thickness of the waterproof,insulated material 700 c, and is sealed on the outward-facing surface ofthe waterproof barrier 708 c with waterproof tape 716 c. This preventsthe issues related to wetting out of the base fabric illustrated in FIG.7C, and also permits a strong bond to be formed between the waterproofbarrier 708 c and the waterproof tape 716 c, which ensures that the seam714 c does not deteriorate and fail.

FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate two examples of waterproof insulatedmaterials, including an embodiment having an insulated layer bounded byan outer base fabric and an inner lining fabric, a waterproof barrierbonded to a body facing surface of the outer base fabric, a DWR coatingor layer, and a seam that is waterproofed with a waterproof tape bondedto the outward-facing surface of the outer base fabric (FIG. 8A), and anembodiment having an insulated layer bounded by an outer base fabric andan inner lining fabric, a waterproof barrier bonded to an outward-facingsurface of the outer base fabric, and a seam that is waterproofed with awaterproof tape bonded to the outward-facing surface of the waterproofbarrier (FIG. 8B),in accordance with various embodiments. In the exampleillustrated in FIG. 8A, an insulating layer 820 a, which may includenatural insulation, synthetic insulation, or a combination of both, isbounded on an outward-facing surface by an outer base fabric 802 a, andon a body-facing surface by a lining fabric 822 a. The body-facingsurface of the base fabric 802 a is bonded to a waterproof barrier 808a, and the outward-facing surface of the base fabric 802 a may be coatedwith a DWR agent. A seam 814 a runs through the full thickness of thematerial 800 a, and is sealed on the outward-facing surface of the basefabric 802 a with a waterproof tape 816 a.

In the illustrated example, water (indicated by arrows) may eventuallyinfiltrate the base fabric 802 a through the DWR agent 812, and maycause the bond between the waterproof tape 816 a and the base fabric 802a to deteriorate. In some embodiments, this may eventually lead topeeling of the waterproof tape 816 a and failure of the waterproofing ofthe seam 814 a.

By contrast, the waterproof, insulated material illustrated in FIG. 8Bavoids these problems. In the example illustrated in FIG. 8B, aninsulating layer 820 b, which may include natural insulation, syntheticinsulation, or a combination of both, is bounded on an outward-facingsurface by an outer base fabric 802 b, and on a body-facing surface by alining fabric 822 b. In some embodiments, a specific configuration ofsynthetic and natural insulating material may be used as disclosed inU.S. application Ser. No. 14/286,869, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

The outward-facing surface of the base fabric 802 b is bonded to awaterproof barrier 808 b. A seam 814 b runs through the full thicknessof the insulated material 800 b, and is sealed by forming a bond betweenwaterproof tape 816 b and the outward-facing surface of the waterproofbarrier 808 b. This construction prevents the base fabric 802 b fromwetting out, and also permits a strong bond to be formed between thewaterproof barrier 808 b and the waterproof tape 816 b, which ensuresthat the seam 814 b does not deteriorate and fail.

EXAMPLES Example 1: Testing of Water Vapor Transmission Rate ThroughWaterproof Fabrics

Water vapor transmission testing is often conducted with an apparatus inwhich a fabric sample is sealed on top of a cup containing water, andthe weight of the cup is monitored gravimetrically as a function oftime. Environmental temperature, relative humidity and air flow rateacross the sample are noted. Typically, the cup and the environment arethe same temperature. In the present Example, custom-made heated cupholders were constructed by wrapping an aluminum-foil-lined flexibleheater around the base of a cup. Cups were obtained from Thwing-AlbertInstrument Company, and were the EZ-Cup Vapometer Permeability Cup,depth 2″ (Part No. 68-3000). Heaters were obtained from McMaster-Carr,and the Super-Flexible Ultra-Thin Heat Sheet, 2″×10″ (Part No. 8009T12)was used to heat the cups. Cup temperature was monitored by a K-typethermocouple placed on the inner surface of the heated cup holder at thewater level. Fully assembled cups with water and fabric wereequilibrated at the elevated cup temperature in an environmental chamber(Lunaire Tenney BTRC) for 30 minutes prior to data collection. Data werecollected from the pre-heated cup as mass versus time. The slope ofmass-versus-time plot is normalized by the fabric area to give the watervapor transmission rate (WVTR.) Cups were held in an uprightconfiguration during testing. Each cup contained 80 mL deionized H2O(˜1″ filled) at the start of each test, which lasted 2.5 hours, withmeasurements taken every 30 minutes. The cup temperature on outsidesurface was kept at 35.0° C., the water temperature after equilibrationwas 34.6-34.9° C., the environmental temperature was 24.8±0.4° C., theenvironmental relative humidity was 51.0±4.7%, and air flow was measuredfor a 90 second interval and found to vary between 0 and 59 FPM. Allsamples were subjected to the same testing conditions.

FIGS. 9A-9C are graphs illustrating the water vapor transmission rate ofvarious commercially available waterproof fabrics as compared to anembodiment of the waterproof fabrics disclosed herein (FIG. 9A), thepercentage to which the waterproof fabric of FIG. 9A transmits watervapor compared to commercially available fabrics (FIG. 9B), and the datashown in . 9A and 9B presented in combined form (FIG. 9C), in accordancewith various embodiments. FIG. 9A illustrates the measured values ofMVTR with 2-3 measurements taked from each fabric sample. The fabricdisclosed in the present application (e.g., Columbia Outdry Extreme™)was determined to have the fasted WVTR when compared to othercommercially available fabrics. FIG. 9B shows the percentage faster bywhich the Columbia Outdry Extreme™ fabric transmitted water vapor ascompared to the control fabrics, ith the percentage calculated as ((WVTRTest Fabric)-(WVTR Control Fabric))/(WVTR Control Fabric). The Testfabric (e.g., Columbia Outdry Extreme™) was found to transmit watervapor 17-74% faster compared to the control fabrics.

Example 2: Testing of Physical Properties of Waterproof Fabric

FIG. 10 illustrates the results of testing one embodiment of awaterproof fabric as described herein. As shown in FIG. 10, thewaterproof fabric showed a 35% improvement on the JIS L1099 B1 MVTR testwhen compared to a conventional waterproof fabric (see, e.g., “moisturevapor transmission” and compare condition 1, which is the test fabric(“coating side as face,” which showed a moisture vapor transmission rate(MVTR) of 6,346 g/m²/24 hr) to condition 2, which is the control fabric(“coating side as back,” which showed a MVTR of 4,712 g/m²/24 hr)).Furthermore, the waterproof fabric examined in this test did not includea wicking finish applied to the base fabric, and therefore one of skillin the art would expect a waterproof fabric having such a wicking finishto show an even larger improvement.

Although certain embodiments have been illustrated and described herein,it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a widevariety of alternate and/or equivalent embodiments or implementationscalculated to achieve the same purposes may be substituted for theembodiments shown and described without departing from the scope. Thosewith skill in the art will readily appreciate that embodiments may beimplemented in a very wide variety of ways. This application is intendedto cover any adaptations or variations of the embodiments discussedherein. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that embodiments be limitedonly by the claims and the equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A waterproof fabric comprising: a base fabrichaving a body-facing surface and an outward-facing surface; and ahydrophobic, waterproof barrier disposed on the outward-facing surfaceof the base fabric; a seam running through a full thickness of both thebase fabric and the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier; and a waterprooftape bonded to an outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproofbarrier and oriented to seal the seam against water ingress.
 2. Thewaterproof fabric of claim 1, further comprising an abrasion-resistantcoating disposed on the outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic,waterproof barrier.
 3. The waterproof fabric of claim 2, wherein theabrasion-resistant coating is discontinuous.
 4. The waterproof fabric ofclaim 3, wherein the waterproof tape is applied over theabrasion-resistant coating, and wherein the waterproof tape bonds toboth the abrasion-resistant coating and the hydrophobic, waterproofbarrier.
 5. The waterproof fabric of claim 3, wherein theabrasion-resistant coating covers about 15-50% of a surface area of thewaterproof fabric.
 6. The waterproof fabric of claim 1, wherein thehydrophobic, waterproof barrier is pigmented.
 7. The waterproof fabricof claim 3, wherein the abrasion-resistant coating is visible to a user.8. The waterproof fabric of claim 7, wherein the abrasion-resistantcoating is pigmented.
 9. The waterproof fabric of claim 7, wherein theabrasion-resistant coating creates a texture perceptible by a user. 10.The waterproof fabric of claim 1, further comprising a DWR agentdisposed on the outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproofbarrier.
 11. The waterproof fabric of claim 2, further comprising a DWRagent disposed on an outward-facing surface of the abrasion-resistantcoating.
 12. The waterproof fabric of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic,waterproof barrier comprises a plastic polymer, polyurethane,polyethylene, polyester, and/or polytetrafluoroethylene.
 13. Thewaterproof fabric of claim 1, wherein the abrasion-resistant coatingcomprises a high molecular weight polyurethane.
 14. The waterprooffabric of claim 1, wherein the base fabric is a wicking fabric.
 15. Thewaterproof fabric of claim 1, wherein the base fabric is treated with acompound that enhances wicking.
 16. The waterproof fabric of claim 1,wherein the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier is coated on theoutward-facing surface of the base fabric.
 17. The waterproof fabric ofclaim 1, wherein the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier is laminated on theoutward-facing surface of the base fabric.
 18. A method of making awaterproof article, the method comprising: providing a base fabrichaving a body-facing surface and an outward-facing surface; disposing ahydrophobic, waterproof barrier on the outward-facing surface of thebase fabric, thereby forming a waterproof fabric; forming an articlewith the waterproof fabric, wherein forming the article comprisescreating a seam between two pieces of the waterproof fabric; and bondinga waterproof tape to an outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic,waterproof barrier, wherein bonding the waterproof tape comprisesaligning the waterproof tape to cover the seam.
 19. The method of claim18, further comprising: disposing an abrasion-resistant coating to theoutward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier, whereinthe abrasion-resistant coating is discontinuous and covers about 15-50%of a surface area of the waterproof fabric.
 20. The method of claim 18,wherein disposing the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier on theoutward-facing surface of the base fabric comprises coating theoutward-facing surface of the base fabric with the hydrophobic,waterproof barrier.